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St Thomas

Sermon for Third Sunday of Easter

By Rector's Corner, Sermons

Christopher Thomas Sermon for Third Sunday of Easter, Year A – 4/26/20 Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17 1 Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35 One of the most fascinating and engaging classes I had the opportunity to take during my three years in seminary was a course taught by Dr. Benjamin D. Sommer, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. The course was titled “Prophecy in the Second Temple Period,” and while I didn’t know much about the Second Temple Period, or Judaism for that matter, I was tantalized by something that would eventually resonate deep down into my very core, something that drew me in, beckoning me into and onto this journey toward the intersection of prophesy and exile. In retrospect, it probably was a very significant part of my priestly calling. Now, I’ve always perceived myself something of a prophet, but that…

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April 26, 2020

Doubters Happy Hour – Tuesday, April 28

By Upcoming Events

“So, you think you want to be a priest?!?” Join us for our Doubters Happy Hour next Tuesday, April 28 at 6 pm. Come spend an hour learning more about our Seminarian-in-Residence Allen M. Junek as we share our weekly Happy Hour time together. If you’ve ever had any questions about what “call” sounds like, or feels like, or what the journey looks like, this is a great time to ask questions! We know Doubters like to get REAL! No question is off limits! (Well, within reason…) So come, bring your favorite libation and snack, and learn more about what it means to get that special “call” from God!

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April 24, 2020

Welcome our Seminarian-in-Residence Allen M. Junek

By News

It is with great excitement that I announce Allen Junek will be formally joining our ranks as a Doubter as he enters the beginning stages of his journey of discernment toward possible Holy Orders. Allen is finishing his first year of study as a Master of Divinity student at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. He procured his double-major undergraduate degrees from Texas A&M University in College Station. Many of you have already become acquainted with Allen due in no small part to the ministry he has already provided in helping St. Thomas step into the virtual world of “televised” ministry. Allen will undertake his supervised ministry year with the Doubters of St. Thomas, and he will have responsibilities under my leadership of developing and fostering a 20/30-something ministry, as well as leading our social media presence, preaching, and several other specific projects. It is exciting…

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April 24, 2020

There is no going back

By Rector's Corner

My Dear People of St. Thomas, From our places of isolation, in the COVID-19 world, it’s hard to believe it is already April 23rd. We have not worshiped together in the physical building since the Second Wednesday in Lent, March 11th. In ways of pure ingenuity, we have banded together in spite of a virus! We waved palm branches, and built and stripped altars, and washed hands, and sat at empty tombs, and witnessed the Risen Christ in ways we never imagined possible. And yet. And yet. And yet. We are still left at that same “so what” place (always my big theological moment). What do we do with all this “Good News” that we’ve witnessed, year after year, even in new ways, that we continue to find? Because, after all, in the aftermath of resurrection, we’re still walking that same 7-mile stretch to Emmaus, wondering “What’s just happened,” and…

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April 24, 2020

Flattening the J Curve

By Christian Formation

“We may not ever understand why we suffer or be able to control the forces that cause our suffering, but we can have a lot to say about what the suffering does to us, and what sort of people we become because of it.” — Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People There is wisdom in the J curve, for it helps us to understand what we experience during times of significant change and disruption. Note from the diagram that the vertical axis of the J curve is “Stability,” while the horizontal access is “Resilience/Growth.” When change occurs in our lives, the graphic shows that stability begins to decline. When change is significant—a move, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or as now, experiencing a pandemic, the decline in stability can be steep. One natural reaction to a sudden experience of…

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April 23, 2020

Sermon for Second Sunday of Easter

By Rector's Corner, Sermons

Christopher Thomas Sermon for Second Sunday of Easter, Year A – 4/19/20 Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Psalm 16 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 Be Careful of What You Ask For – You Might Get It! I saw it. With my own eyes. I wasn’t there, in person, but through the wonders of technology, and computers, I saw it, and yet, I simply could not believe it. I sat there, stone cold stunned, too shocked and frightened to move. The day started as most any other. I arrived at the Cathedral early on that September day, because arriving early, before dawn, was, is the way that a business administrator gets some serious work cranked out before phones start ringing, requests start coming in, life starts happening, in the heartbeat of the Church. I was buried in my office, in front of my computer, when I started getting pinged with notices from CNN…

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April 19, 2020

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

By Rector's Corner

My Dear People of St. Thomas, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! After what always to me seems like an eternity, and this year even more so, we are finally to Eastertide, the great 50 days of Easter in which we celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, the conquering of the grave. We can now, and we should now, and we must now shout “Alleluia” at every opportunity we can possibly find! Recognize Jesus Christ alive, Immanuel, among and with us, in all that we live and do, and all that we will continue to be. The promise and the hope of our future are alive and well, in spite of what our circumstances seem to say. Graves do not win! “Alleluias” of life-giving spirit and shouts of great thanks simply must be raised to all who worked tirelessly to make our Lenten/Palm Sunday/Holy Week/Easter observance the once-in-a-lifetime…

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April 16, 2020

The Ground Begins to Soften | Easter 2020

By Christian Formation

(Several years ago, I wrote a column similar to this for Easter. What I wrote seems particularly relevant for the unprecedented circumstances we now find ourselves in, and so I have updated it for this year.) For those of us who celebrate Easter in the northern hemisphere, we are blessed to be surrounded by abundant symbols of resurrection and rebirth, including the new buds on the trees, the return of birds that have been south for the winter, the lengthening of the days, and the overall warming temperatures. For me, though, there is one sign in nature that is the most meaningful indicator of new life this time of year, one that is probably easy to overlook…the ground begins to soften. First, the snow melts, and then gradually, the ground that has been covered and frozen all winter begins to thaw and soften. One thing I love about the ground…

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April 12, 2020

Good Friday Offering: Remembering our brothers and sisters in the Middle East

By News

Earlier this year, Presiding Bishop Curry invited Episcopal parishes to consider supporting the Good Friday Offering. Since 1922, Episcopalians have supported ministries of the dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East through special offerings during their Good Friday services. These offerings provide critical assistance to the ministries of this Province to promote peace and mutual understanding through pastoral care, as well as health and educational programs throughout the region. On March 17, 2020, in response to the coronavirus global health crisis and the recommendation from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to suspend public gatherings of more than 10 people, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry sent a message to Episcopalians concerning the suspension of in-person gatherings for public worship during the sacred time of Holy Week and Easter Day and possibly beyond. “It is important to emphasize the suspension of in-person gatherings is not a…

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April 9, 2020